The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-02-24

in the minds of the President and the
Senator by that performance.-Georcs
Hope, in Brooklyn Eagle.
THE Difference.
publicans Are POLITICALLY Indignant
and One Near at Hand Which They VIII
Not Consider.
Three citizens of Texas, or three
men claiming to be such, appeared at
Washington not long since with har-
rowing tale of political outrage where
of they were the victims. They asked
that the Senate investigate the case
and that body by a strict party vote
has decided to do SO. The story was
practically unsupported-except so far
as each of the three men supported the
other two. 1t was very suspiciously like
a number of stories which have come
from the South at times when the Repub-
ican party was in need of fuel to fire the
partisan hearts and keep the rank and
file from falling into condition of
confidence in the South. Moreover, if
the story was true it furnished no basis
might turn out in every line and word
and detail exactly as narrated, and it
would still be as purely case for the
tribunals and authorities of Texas as
the horrible outrages in the north
woods of Michigan and Wisconsin are
cases for the tribunals and authorities
of those States The Senate can do
absolutely nothing in the premises un-
less it be to make, or attempt to make,
political capital for the Republican
party. It can not punish the offenders
or even compel the State of Texas to do
it. Yet it has resolved to investigate
the charges, and the Tribune of this
city applauds the resolution and urges
the investigation with the utmost en-
thusiasm.
Some days before the alleged citizens
of Texas made their appearance at
Washington with their outrage budget
poor widow in this city gave to the
public an account of the suffering her
husband, who had just died at the Sol
diers' Home in Grand Rapids, had un-
dergone in that institution. 1t would
have been a sad and pathetic tale if the
sufferer had been pauper in the coun-
ty house, or even convict in one of
our prisons. Told, as it was, of gall
liant soldier who had been taken in
charge by the great State of Michigan
to protect and care for in home
which the generous bounty of the peo-
pie had provided, it was tale calcu-
lated to make the blood boil in the
veins of every patriotic citizen. Itwas
followed by other tales from inmates
of the same institution, all freighted
with the same burden of mismanage-
ment, neglect and consequent suffer-
ing. Those who should have been the
welcome and honored guest of the
State In a real home, with the care and
the comfort that sacred name implies,
were represented as finding the place
'.mockery of home" and a shell. -
Naturally an indignant cry went up
for investigation of the alleged abuses
and for a speedy remedy; and the
Legislature was at once appealed to.
There was nothing partisan in the cry.
The charges were not made by citizens
of distant State. And the appeal was
to body which has full jurisdiction to
examine and full power to cure the
abuses, if any are found. It was a
stronger case in its appeal to humanity
and in the evidence by which it was
supported than the Texas case; and il
was presented, as the latter was not, to
a perfectly proper tribunal. But The
petty party organ saw no merit in the
case. The wall of the stricken widow
and the appeal of the suffering soldier
were '.insinuations" which deserved
no attention from the Legislature OF
anybody else. The management of the
Soldiers Home was too great and wise
and generous and good to be even sus.
peeted of any thing; and it was only
when a member of its own party with
a manly consciousness of the disgrace
the State would incur if the whitewash'
ing policy were pursued moved for an
investigation that this petty partisan
organ abandoned its opposition and
grudgingly Joined in the demand. Il
had sharp eyes for alleged outrages in
far-off Texas; it had crocodile tears tt
shed over alleged wrongs committed
there; and it was exceedingly promp
in its demand for an investigation
when there was the faintest prospect
that its party could make political cap
ital, though there was no possibility
that any wrong could be redressed. Blu
it had no eyes or tears to moisten then
when the alleged sufferers are its owl
fellow-citizens in whose kind and gen
erous treatment the whole State wa
interested. 1t could not even see it
way clear to asking for an inquiry init
the matter until the resolution Offered
by member of its own party satisfied
it that the partisan whitewash brusl
could no longer be welded with safety
There is good deal of this "Mrs
Jellaby'' business of straining the sigh
so in looking after the far-off sufferin.
that the eyes are blinded to the miser,
close at hand. And it is all the NOR
contemplate business when the ignor
ing of the suffering and misery near a
hand is deliberate, as it has been in tn
Taibune's dealing with the Soldiers
: Home matter.-DetroI Free Press.
The excuses and apologies for tn
rejection by the Senate of Mr.. Matthew
as Recorder of Washington continue t.
be offered. They appear to be pre-
sented as sops to the sensibilities of tn
colored race. 1t is doubtful if they an
swer their purpose. The intelligen
colored men of the country who hav
spoken on this question, understand
what was the animus of the Senate
action. As for those who are less in
formed, we suppose they will continu
to be claimed as the property of tn
Republican party, and the President
who has stood by the colored race i
this contest, will still be represented t
them as their inborn enemy.-Bosto
| Herald